Burned into the Soul
by waikiki23
Summary: **Tag to Shabbat Shalom** Her anguished sobs would be forever burned into their hearts and minds forever.


_**A/N - This is a tag to "Shabbat Shalom". The heartbreaking final scenes are haunting me, not wanting to leave me alone until I wrote this. This episode will be a turning point for the whole team. I don't own anything and am not gaining anything. I hope you all read and review. **_

_**Tony stood, unable to tear his eyes away from the body. He remembered earlier that day, joking with Ziva about her father calling him "Agent Meatball", and how Ziva had told him that Eli would not joke with Tony if he did not like him. That thought had made him smile to himself. Tony had begun to warm to the seemingly impersonal Mossad leader.**_

_**Tony did look away, once Ziva entered the house. The look of pure terror in her eyes were enough to rock him to his very core. He wanted to take her into his arms, holding on to her, allowing her to find comfort in his arms. Instead, he watched as she walked in, almost in slow motion. She stopped, seeing his eyes, the window to his soul. He was rooted to the spot in which he stood, his eyes reflecting his deepest emotions. **_

"_**No." It was almost whispered by the woman he cared deeply for. She moved even more slowly toward him, looking around the living room. When she saw Eli David, slumped against the wall, two gunshot wounds pouring blood, his eyes open, not seeing anything else anymore, her anguished cry of "Abba!" tore into his already hurting heart.**_

_**She ran to her father, dropping to her knees, then sitting next to him. She pulled on his coat, causing his lifeless body to slump against her. She began crying, repeating the Shabbat prayers over her dead father. **_

_**Tony turned, seeing Gibbs and McGee enter the house. He glanced at Ziva before walking over to Gibbs. "Who did this?"**_

_**When Gibbs didn't answer him, Tony knew it was the first time that Gibbs literally did not have a clue as to what was going on. He could see the look of pain in the older agents sapphire eyes, watching his surrogate daughter crying over the last member of her family. Tim's emerald green eyes showed shock and pain, something Tony had never really seen in the younger agent.**_

_**Gibbs looked to Ziva once more before he left the house. Tony knew he was heading to the hospital to be there for Director Vance in a show of solidarity while they tried to save Jackie.**_

_**Tony turned again, watching as Ziva clutched her dead father to her, shaking him. It was as if she was trying to wake Eli up, like it was all a bad dream. Watching her almost completely broke him. He couldn't take it any more; he left the house, anger radiating off of him at the person who had taken the last living relative away from the woman he loved. **_

_**He knew Tim had stayed a moment longer before following him out of the house. They silently went to the car and got in. Tony paused before looking over at Tim. "Its hard to believe, isn't it?"**_

_**Tim lowered his eyes to his lap, finding the edge of his coat interesting. "I know. Poor Ziva," he said, a quiver in his voice, his emotions choking him.**_

_**Tony nodded, unsure whether he could trust his voice or not. They sat for a moment more before Tim said aloud, "I wasn't able to tell her, you know."**_

"_**Tell her what, Tim?"**_

"_**That her father was dead, killed by the gunfire that may well take Mrs. Vance as well," Tim replied, looking over at the senior field agent. His heart was also breaking, unable to rid himself of the heartbreaking sobs of the former Mossad agent, the sound and sight forever burned into his memory and very soul.**_

_**He nodded again before saying, "I know Tim. I couldn't tell her either, when she first came into the house. She saw him, exactly how we did." He regretted that Ziva had to see her father like she had. It would forever be the last thing she would remember her father by.**_

_**They sat, lost in their own thoughts for a few more moment before Tony put the key into the ignition and turned the vehicle on. They left the Director's home and headed for the hospital.**_


End file.
